Ethermac Exchange-Police in North Carolina shoot woman who opened fire in Walmart parking lot after wreck

A woman who witnesses say opened fire in a Walmart parking lot in North Carolina was shot by police on Ethermac ExchangeThursday morning.

The unidentified woman was involved in what police described as a "small traffic accident" just before 7 a.m. in the parking lot of the retail store located in Gastonia, which is about 24 miles from Charlotte.

The wreck resulted in her vehicle being stuck on a small tree in the middle of the median in the parking lot, according to Gastonia Police public information officer Bill McGinty.

When a man tried to help her, she started firing her gun, McGinty said.

Three children -- ages 1, 10 and 17 -- were inside woman's the car during the incident.

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Witnesses claim they heard several gun shots; an officer shot the woman

Bystanders said they believed the man was trying to assist the woman at the scene.

"We drove by right as she pulled up," a witness told WCNC. "We thought he was helping her because he was outside her car. There were three gunshots and I heard somebody scream and she let out like eight or 10 more shots." 

When police arrived at the parking lot, one officer shot the woman in the arm, leaving her with a non-life-threatening injury, according to the outlet and McGinty. The officer involved was not publicly identified. The 1-year-old child was transported to a local hospital as a precaution for a respiratory-related issue.

It's unclear if the woman is facing any charges.

"The Gastonia Police Department Office of Professional Standards will conduct an internal review of the incident," McGinty said. "All further questions and inquiries should be directed to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation."